After the heroics of the cup semi-final the previous week, BBOB returned to league action with a convincing victory over Royal Hove II. Enforced changes were made from the previous week, Stuart Burgess played at centre back alongside Adam Leaver, with Ryan Satterly returning to his usual left back role. Jac Edwards returned to the team at left midfield, Dan Buchanan also returned to the side to adopt the central midfield role for the first time this season. Adam (Skin) Craig started the game up front with Matt Barton.
After a fairly even first ten minutes BBOB took the lead after a good passing move, Matt Barton crossed, the opposition goalkeeper and central defender almost collided with each other and the ball fell kindly to Adam Craig (Skin), his tame scuffed effort towards goal just about made it over the line! Two minutes later it was two nil, again through some neat play down the right, BBOB worked the ball into the area, Howard Lloyd laid the ball into the path of right midfielder Michael (Titch) McMahon and his fierce shot rocketed past the stranded Royal Hove keeper!
It wasn't all plain sailing though, in the 16th minute a long ball over the BBOB defence looked to have been dealt with but somehow the opposition worked it back across the edge of the area, and the Royal Hove forward placed a perfect shot into the top right hand corner of the BBOB goal. BBOB took a little while to regain the previous momentum after that minor setback, but eventually in the 26th minute, a quick throw from right back Paul Barton to Howard Lloyd caught the Royal Hove defence napping, his low cross found an unmarked Matt Barton who made no mistake from two yards out, edging the ball narrowly past the keeper!
In the 28th minute a Ryan Satterly corner from the left found its way to Michael (Titch) McMahon who hit a perfect right foot volley beyond the Royal Hove keeper to increase the BBOB tally to four! But BBOB were not finished there, with just 35 minutes played they made it 5-1 with another well worked passing move leading to Dan Buchanan side footing the ball to midfielder Howard Lloyd who fired a fierce drive beyond the outstretched Hove keeper! Half time 5-1 and surely the points in the bag!
It took BBOB nearly half an hour to score another and in that time Michael (Titch) McMahon was replaced by Jamie Eade at right midfield, Adam Craig was replaced by Ben Scott and midfielder Dan Buchanan was replaced by Chris Thomas. Finally in the 74th minute after good move down the right between Paul Barton, Matt Barton & Ben Scott the ball was worked to Jamie Eade in the six yard box who toe-poked the ball across goal and into the net. There were plenty of other chances missed throughout the game, Jac Edwards came close a few times and was very unlucky to not get on the score sheet!
In the 76th minute Royal Hove increased their goal tally to two! A disputed corner was awarded to Royal Hove, and from the resulting cross right back Paul Barton headed the ball off the line. Somehow the opposition managed to convince the referee that ball had crossed the line. The BBOB players were far from convinced that the ball crossed the line but really it was just a minor annoyance (to most!!) to such a commanding performance from BBOB!
BBOB were not prepared to settle with a 6-2 score line and scored two more goals in the last ten minutes, the first came after the ball was worked to the left by Jac Edwards, his pass found Howard Lloyd in space and he in turn fired a cross to the unmarked Matt Barton in the Royal Hove six yard box who smashed in an effort that probably only needed tapping in! The final goal of the match came from man of the match Howard Lloyd, after receiving a pass from Chris Thomas in midfield he fired a 25 yard short into the top left hand corner of Royal Hove goal, leaving the opposition keeper rooted to the spot, to cap a great performance from him and the whole match day squad!
Match report written by Paul Barton.
